Topic 4 Keywords
Adaptation: The evolutionary process whereby a population becomes better suited to its habitat (climate, environment, etc.) Environment: The surroundings or conditions in which an organism or plant lives or operates. Organism: Any contiguous living system such as an animal, plant, fungus or microorganism (including single-celled). Replacement planting: The replacement of a plant species removed from a given area. Aquatic: An organism that lives in water for most or all of its life. Extreme environment: Extreme conditions which are challenging to most life forms. For example, bacteria cannot live at sub-zero temperatures so therefore decomposition does not take place (ice mummies are made instead of decomposing). Ozone: Also known as O3 as it contains 3 oxygen atoms. 'A colourless, unstable toxic gas with a pungent odour and powerful oxidising properties.' It is formed from oxygen by electrical discharges or ultraviolet light. It is also much less stable than dioxide (O2) which is the oxygen in the air we breathe. Ozone creates a layer in the Earth's atmosphere which absorbs around 97-99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet light (which is damaging to life on Earth). Resource: 'Any physical or virtual entity of limited availability which needs to be consumed to obtain a benefit from it.' Biodegradable: Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. Global temperature: The warming of the Earth due to trapped infrared heat. Greenhouse gases (believed to be produced mainly by human actions) trap the infrared waves. The waves are emitted from the Sun at a high frequency, absorbed by the Earth and slowed down. These waves are then re-emitted but at a lower frequency. The waves cannot penetrate the gas layer as easily as when they entered so are trapped. Phosphates: An inorganic chemical which is a salt of phosphoric acid. They can be condensed at high temperatures to form pyrophosphates. The addition and removal of phosphate from proteins in all cells is a pivotal strategy in the regulation of metabolic processes. Phosphate is useful in animal cells as a buffering agent. (A buffering agent adjusts the pH of a solution.) Sewage: Waste water and excrement conveyed in sewers. Biodiversity: The variety of organisms/life in the world or in a given habitat or ecosystem. Greenhouse gases: Gases such as carbon dioxide or methane which contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation. Pollution: The presence or introduction of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects into the atmosphere. skin cancer: Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. If left unchecked, these cancer cells can spread from the skin into other tissues and organs. CFC's: C'hlorofluorocarbon' (CFC) is an organic compund that contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile ederivative of methane and ethane. hydrothermal vents population - The number of organisms in a designated area. terrestrial competition: when animals, organisms and plants compete for something so that they can survive eg. light, food, water. indicators predation: The preying of one animal on others. waste disposal: Getting rid of waste through sewage pipes. conservation interdependence - when two or more species rely on one another mutually to survive. recycling: To break down and reuse component materials. coppicing nitrate reforestation: The act or process of replanting a forest. Category:Topic 4 Category:Keywords Category:B2 Category:Global warming Category:Environment Category:Adaptation Category:Recycling